Hilton Salt Lick Lodge {ZAF} (no longer Honors)
Aug 9, 2001, 7:15 pm
#18
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Posts: 20
Vindesante:
I also had heard many negative reports about security in and around Nairobi. We had no problems but must admit that we did not venture more than five blocks from the Hilton Hotel, which is in the most secure portion of the city. I have heard the nickname “NaiRobbery” is well warranted from my research about traveling to Kenya.
Most of the robberies I heard about occur on the busses that connect the airport to the Hotel district, and in the lower class hotels in the poorer sections of Nairobi. Big police and security presence in downtown Nairobi and aside from an occasional begging, we had no problems while there. You are advised not to wear much jewelry but this is true in most third world countries. I felt safer in Nairobi than I did in Guatemala last summer.
The good news about this award is Hilton provides you with private transportation in a limo from and to the airport so you do not need to find your way upon arrival or departure. You are picked up at the front door of the Hilton to begin the Safari and are returned to where you started.
We did visit some villages on the last day instead of taking game drives with our driver Dennis and the forest ranger, Raymond. Raymond took us to his home (they are very poor) to meet his family and they even gave us a handmade gift! Raymond’s’ children aged 3 and 5 cried when they saw us. Raymond explained that we were the first white people they had ever seen.
Dennis also took us up to some of the villages where he was originally from; the people treated us warmly and were as friendly as any I have met. Children learn English in school so communication is not a problem and most people like to practice English with you.
Wormwood:
KLM Business class was very good. They have recently reconfigured the C class section and it was extremely comfortable. I recently flew Business Class on Swiss Air a very highly regarded airline and I would choose KLM over the Swiss Air product. The food and service is marginally better on Swiss Air, but the seat and legroom are far superior on KLM. KLM uses 747 from US, individual video screen 10 or 12 different channels. Business class was only in top deck cabin. Use MD11 from AMS to NBO and this is very nice as well, but like 747 better. Getting the award was a bit difficult from LP but I gave them quite a few alternative dates. I was also traveling in peak season to Amsterdam so I have few complaints. The flight is about twenty hours each way so it is really worth the extra 40,000 miles. Coach class is 80,000 miles.
Starwood has abandoned Kenya, I asked several people why but no one knew the answer.
Raffy:
I too had the same concern as you; I must admit that this was the first packaged tour I have ever been on. We have traveled thru Asia, South America, and Europe but have never used a packaged product before.
We did stay for two weeks and for the first week we purchased another safari package (cost almost 3,000 dollars for the two of us).
With the first week package we purchased a private Lodge safari so we could have some independence and visit the places we wanted to see.
We went to Samburu-Shaba area, where they are presently filming the Survivor television show. Stayed in same hotel as TV people and I believe some of the Survivors who were eliminated early in the show. It was nice up there, many animals in Samburu because the TV show had to get all the animals out of Shaba. Used many helicopters to chase the animals into Samburu from Shaba. The show is being filmed in Shaba and they could not afford to have one of the contestants eaten by a Lion or chased by a Rhino I guess. Actually I learned the most dangerous animal in Africa is the Hippo. Kill more people than all others combined.
Than went to Mount Kenya, too foggy to see the mountain and not many animals there. Went to Lake Nakuru, millions of pink Flamingos, actually turn portions of the lake pink, because of the great numbers, many Rhinos in that park as well. Went to Masi Mara, wildebeest migration was in full swing, many animals, but far too many Safari vans.
Kenya is a very expensive country to visit even though it is a third world country. There are very few mid level accommodations available. The hotels that are cheap, (available to residents), are the worst I have seen anywhere. Dirt floors; which really serve as houses of prostitution. Prostitution is legal at age 14. Expensive hotels have a two tier pricing structure for hotel rooms, and resident’s pay far less, but you better be able to prove you are a resident.
We have friends that went to Kenya before us and they had the idea of doing a self-tour. They said they wasted a week in Kenya before they purchased a Safari package. These people like us had traveled all over the world independently as well.
As for transportation: The busses are cheap; but are so full, people are hanging out the back door. The game parks, where you want to go to, are not serviced by any busses; because it costs about 25 dollars a day to enter the game parks. There is a train line but it only goes from Uganda to Nairobi and on to Mombassa. Car rental without a driver is impossible. The police will stop you every 20 miles, much security in Kenya, and it may not be safe. You will have to hire driver. Car rentals with drivers are prohibitively expensive. You will have to still pay entrance fees to parks and very expensive gas prices. Even lonely planet advises against car rental.
We went on a Lodge safari but some Camping Safaris are much cheaper, be careful of camping Safaris however. You may be in bus with thirty other people, expected to buy food along the way, also you may be doing the cooking and cleanup.
The Hilton package does offer good value for the points expended, and with a private guide offers, as much independence as you will get in Kenya.
I also had heard many negative reports about security in and around Nairobi. We had no problems but must admit that we did not venture more than five blocks from the Hilton Hotel, which is in the most secure portion of the city. I have heard the nickname “NaiRobbery” is well warranted from my research about traveling to Kenya.
Most of the robberies I heard about occur on the busses that connect the airport to the Hotel district, and in the lower class hotels in the poorer sections of Nairobi. Big police and security presence in downtown Nairobi and aside from an occasional begging, we had no problems while there. You are advised not to wear much jewelry but this is true in most third world countries. I felt safer in Nairobi than I did in Guatemala last summer.
The good news about this award is Hilton provides you with private transportation in a limo from and to the airport so you do not need to find your way upon arrival or departure. You are picked up at the front door of the Hilton to begin the Safari and are returned to where you started.
We did visit some villages on the last day instead of taking game drives with our driver Dennis and the forest ranger, Raymond. Raymond took us to his home (they are very poor) to meet his family and they even gave us a handmade gift! Raymond’s’ children aged 3 and 5 cried when they saw us. Raymond explained that we were the first white people they had ever seen.
Dennis also took us up to some of the villages where he was originally from; the people treated us warmly and were as friendly as any I have met. Children learn English in school so communication is not a problem and most people like to practice English with you.
Wormwood:
KLM Business class was very good. They have recently reconfigured the C class section and it was extremely comfortable. I recently flew Business Class on Swiss Air a very highly regarded airline and I would choose KLM over the Swiss Air product. The food and service is marginally better on Swiss Air, but the seat and legroom are far superior on KLM. KLM uses 747 from US, individual video screen 10 or 12 different channels. Business class was only in top deck cabin. Use MD11 from AMS to NBO and this is very nice as well, but like 747 better. Getting the award was a bit difficult from LP but I gave them quite a few alternative dates. I was also traveling in peak season to Amsterdam so I have few complaints. The flight is about twenty hours each way so it is really worth the extra 40,000 miles. Coach class is 80,000 miles.
Starwood has abandoned Kenya, I asked several people why but no one knew the answer.
Raffy:
I too had the same concern as you; I must admit that this was the first packaged tour I have ever been on. We have traveled thru Asia, South America, and Europe but have never used a packaged product before.
We did stay for two weeks and for the first week we purchased another safari package (cost almost 3,000 dollars for the two of us).
With the first week package we purchased a private Lodge safari so we could have some independence and visit the places we wanted to see.
We went to Samburu-Shaba area, where they are presently filming the Survivor television show. Stayed in same hotel as TV people and I believe some of the Survivors who were eliminated early in the show. It was nice up there, many animals in Samburu because the TV show had to get all the animals out of Shaba. Used many helicopters to chase the animals into Samburu from Shaba. The show is being filmed in Shaba and they could not afford to have one of the contestants eaten by a Lion or chased by a Rhino I guess. Actually I learned the most dangerous animal in Africa is the Hippo. Kill more people than all others combined.
Than went to Mount Kenya, too foggy to see the mountain and not many animals there. Went to Lake Nakuru, millions of pink Flamingos, actually turn portions of the lake pink, because of the great numbers, many Rhinos in that park as well. Went to Masi Mara, wildebeest migration was in full swing, many animals, but far too many Safari vans.
Kenya is a very expensive country to visit even though it is a third world country. There are very few mid level accommodations available. The hotels that are cheap, (available to residents), are the worst I have seen anywhere. Dirt floors; which really serve as houses of prostitution. Prostitution is legal at age 14. Expensive hotels have a two tier pricing structure for hotel rooms, and resident’s pay far less, but you better be able to prove you are a resident.
We have friends that went to Kenya before us and they had the idea of doing a self-tour. They said they wasted a week in Kenya before they purchased a Safari package. These people like us had traveled all over the world independently as well.
As for transportation: The busses are cheap; but are so full, people are hanging out the back door. The game parks, where you want to go to, are not serviced by any busses; because it costs about 25 dollars a day to enter the game parks. There is a train line but it only goes from Uganda to Nairobi and on to Mombassa. Car rental without a driver is impossible. The police will stop you every 20 miles, much security in Kenya, and it may not be safe. You will have to hire driver. Car rentals with drivers are prohibitively expensive. You will have to still pay entrance fees to parks and very expensive gas prices. Even lonely planet advises against car rental.
We went on a Lodge safari but some Camping Safaris are much cheaper, be careful of camping Safaris however. You may be in bus with thirty other people, expected to buy food along the way, also you may be doing the cooking and cleanup.
The Hilton package does offer good value for the points expended, and with a private guide offers, as much independence as you will get in Kenya.
Aug 9, 2001, 9:44 pm
#20
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: The shape-shifting urban sprawl that is El Lay. FT member #71.
Programs: UA Gold & MM; DL & AA credit card dirt status; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Fool's Gold
Posts: 4,690
Excellent objective reporting! Glad you enjoyed the trip.
Aug 10, 2001, 12:03 am
#23
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Programs: AA PLT, SPG GLD, PC PLT SPIRE
Posts: 4,531
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by linbe:
We went on a Lodge safari but some Camping Safaris are much cheaper, be careful of camping Safaris however. You may be in bus with thirty other people, expected to buy food along the way, also you may be doing the cooking and cleanup</font>
We went on a Lodge safari but some Camping Safaris are much cheaper, be careful of camping Safaris however. You may be in bus with thirty other people, expected to buy food along the way, also you may be doing the cooking and cleanup</font>
Aug 10, 2001, 12:21 am
#24
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Programs: UA Plat-2MM, Marriott Life Titanium, Hyatt something
Posts: 1,888
My spouse and I did a Kenya safari trip "on our own" in August 1998 (right after the US Embassy bombing, actually). Rather than book the package, we booked two three-day pointsaver stays at the Nairobi Hilton and a four-day stay at the Salt Lick Lodge. I gather that option is not offered anymore.
We did about 9 months of research using the internet and arranged to be "on our own" as much as we could.
Katherine Echaria of Let's Go Travel answered every question we had over email and arranged what we wanted both in advance and once we got to Kenya. She coordinated the other arrangements with our award stays at the Hilton properties.
http://www.letsgosafari.com/
The Hilton properties were high points of our trip, although the ride out to Taita Hills was quite grueling. The Salt Lick, in particular is an amazing place and the Taita Hills complex serves the best lodge food we ate anywhere. It did cost us $280 per day for two people for the food charge on our "free" nights there, so you can see why the food is so good!
Knowing in advance that cost, and the ability to spend all four nights at Salt Lick probably would have convinced me to do the package.
The Taita Hills lodge is nice, but it's not worth sleeping there, outside the park, when you can stay up as late as you want in the underground bunker at Salt Lick watching the animals from a few feet away and sleep whenever you want in your room nearby. You do have to take lunch at Taita Hills regardless. The last night we were there, tourism was so slow, we were the only guests in the lodge and it was just a magical night watching the elephants and other game from the bunker for hours. The manager wanted to move us to Taita Hills for that night but I refused and I'm really glad I did. I did propose that they take us to and from Taita Hills for dinner so they wouldn't have to cook for just us. That worked great.
The way we arranged our trip was
arrive in Nairobi, 3 nights at Hilton including day trip to local parks and sights
3 day, 2 night flying trip to Masai Mara
3 more nights in Nairobi with more trips to local parks and sights
5 day, 4 night driving trip to Salt Lick Lodge
on the way back to Nairobi we were so dragged out and dirty we called the Hilton for a day room before our night flight and they accomodated us for $50 plus tax with loads of hot water and clean towels!
then on to the airport for the flights home
The safari van and driver (a Nissan pop-top, which was fine) cost us less than US$1000 for the five days. We were paying around $200 per day for the two of us to do game drives in other places we went, so really it was not expensive to have our own van and driver. A Land Rover would have been somewhat more expensive, but not necessary for these places. (In Masai Mara and some other parks where real off road driving is allowed, a Land Rover is a good idea.)
"On our own" is in quotes here because you just can't be on your own as others have pointed out. In Nairobi, we walked around (with no valuables showing) a very little bit during our first day. The Hilton wouldn't let us go out at night without dinner reservations and a taxi or car and driver. The restaurants require reservations and have security gates. The guards get you in and back out into a taxi when you are done.
Out in the national parks, you must be inside your safari vehicle at almost all times. The greatest freedom we had was inside the safari lodge compounds, where we could wear jewelry if we wanted to and could choose whether to sit next to the pool, have a drink in the lounge, or nap in our room. Beyond that, you don't get a lot of spontaneity in Kenya.
The animals are just marvelous. With some better roads and infrastructure more generally, it would be a wonderful place to visit.
Charles
We did about 9 months of research using the internet and arranged to be "on our own" as much as we could.
Katherine Echaria of Let's Go Travel answered every question we had over email and arranged what we wanted both in advance and once we got to Kenya. She coordinated the other arrangements with our award stays at the Hilton properties.
http://www.letsgosafari.com/
The Hilton properties were high points of our trip, although the ride out to Taita Hills was quite grueling. The Salt Lick, in particular is an amazing place and the Taita Hills complex serves the best lodge food we ate anywhere. It did cost us $280 per day for two people for the food charge on our "free" nights there, so you can see why the food is so good!
Knowing in advance that cost, and the ability to spend all four nights at Salt Lick probably would have convinced me to do the package.
The Taita Hills lodge is nice, but it's not worth sleeping there, outside the park, when you can stay up as late as you want in the underground bunker at Salt Lick watching the animals from a few feet away and sleep whenever you want in your room nearby. You do have to take lunch at Taita Hills regardless. The last night we were there, tourism was so slow, we were the only guests in the lodge and it was just a magical night watching the elephants and other game from the bunker for hours. The manager wanted to move us to Taita Hills for that night but I refused and I'm really glad I did. I did propose that they take us to and from Taita Hills for dinner so they wouldn't have to cook for just us. That worked great.
The way we arranged our trip was
arrive in Nairobi, 3 nights at Hilton including day trip to local parks and sights
3 day, 2 night flying trip to Masai Mara
3 more nights in Nairobi with more trips to local parks and sights
5 day, 4 night driving trip to Salt Lick Lodge
on the way back to Nairobi we were so dragged out and dirty we called the Hilton for a day room before our night flight and they accomodated us for $50 plus tax with loads of hot water and clean towels!
then on to the airport for the flights home
The safari van and driver (a Nissan pop-top, which was fine) cost us less than US$1000 for the five days. We were paying around $200 per day for the two of us to do game drives in other places we went, so really it was not expensive to have our own van and driver. A Land Rover would have been somewhat more expensive, but not necessary for these places. (In Masai Mara and some other parks where real off road driving is allowed, a Land Rover is a good idea.)
"On our own" is in quotes here because you just can't be on your own as others have pointed out. In Nairobi, we walked around (with no valuables showing) a very little bit during our first day. The Hilton wouldn't let us go out at night without dinner reservations and a taxi or car and driver. The restaurants require reservations and have security gates. The guards get you in and back out into a taxi when you are done.
Out in the national parks, you must be inside your safari vehicle at almost all times. The greatest freedom we had was inside the safari lodge compounds, where we could wear jewelry if we wanted to and could choose whether to sit next to the pool, have a drink in the lounge, or nap in our room. Beyond that, you don't get a lot of spontaneity in Kenya.
The animals are just marvelous. With some better roads and infrastructure more generally, it would be a wonderful place to visit.
Charles
Aug 10, 2001, 1:25 am
#25
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Sacramento area, CA USA
Programs: UA Gold Million Miler, HH Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,858
Oh, this does bring me back. My husband and I did this trip (not with an award) in 1987. Stayed at Salt Lick (also Nairobi Hilton). Found that the best time to view game in the tunnel was during dinner. Almost everyone dashes to the dining room right when it opens as if they had never seen food. It was clear that we could not get seats so we went viewing. Wonderful! No competition for the windows. We did it every night!
We booked our trip directly with an agency in Nairobi by phone (the old days...) and saved gobs of money. Went on almost the same trip as you describe except we stayed at Naivasha instead of Nakuru (very colonial, expansive lawns). Try Thorntree Travel at [email protected] They have joined the 21st century! Van and driver to ourselves (all seats were window seats!) and top lodges. Can take you anywhere you like as opposed to the American agencies which generally have a set routine. We even went to Mombasa and to a lodge the agency owns way north of Samburu, called Maralal (we were the only Americans). There we visited a child we had been supporting. What a thrill that was.
We booked our trip directly with an agency in Nairobi by phone (the old days...) and saved gobs of money. Went on almost the same trip as you describe except we stayed at Naivasha instead of Nakuru (very colonial, expansive lawns). Try Thorntree Travel at [email protected] They have joined the 21st century! Van and driver to ourselves (all seats were window seats!) and top lodges. Can take you anywhere you like as opposed to the American agencies which generally have a set routine. We even went to Mombasa and to a lodge the agency owns way north of Samburu, called Maralal (we were the only Americans). There we visited a child we had been supporting. What a thrill that was.
Aug 10, 2001, 12:16 pm
#26
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Columbia, SC
Programs: a little here, a little there
Posts: 1,443
Thanks for the great reports, everyone! I have been considering saving my points for this trip, and your accounts encourage me.
Now, to figure out how to fly in for the least anount of $$/miles - most of my miles are on AA.
Now, to figure out how to fly in for the least anount of $$/miles - most of my miles are on AA.
Aug 10, 2001, 1:54 pm
#27
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Programs: AA PLT, SPG GLD, PC PLT SPIRE
Posts: 4,531
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by johnndor:
Now, to figure out how to fly in for the least anount of $$/miles - most of my miles are on AA.</font>
Now, to figure out how to fly in for the least anount of $$/miles - most of my miles are on AA.</font>
Aug 10, 2001, 1:56 pm
#28
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Programs: AA PLT, SPG GLD, PC PLT SPIRE
Posts: 4,531
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by johnndor:
Now, to figure out how to fly in for the least anount of $$/miles - most of my miles are on AA.</font>
Now, to figure out how to fly in for the least anount of $$/miles - most of my miles are on AA.</font>
Aug 10, 2001, 2:35 pm
#29
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Some where in the Mountains
Posts: 5,353
linbe,
Great post! I have always dreamed of going on a Safari in Kenya. I hope to some day use the Hhonors award to do so, especially reading about your recent trip.
I'm curious about the weather while you were there. Was it hot? Isn't it considered the rainy season during the summer months? What about insects? It sounds as is if the rooms at the Salt Lick sight do not have a/c, is this the case?
Great post! I have always dreamed of going on a Safari in Kenya. I hope to some day use the Hhonors award to do so, especially reading about your recent trip.
I'm curious about the weather while you were there. Was it hot? Isn't it considered the rainy season during the summer months? What about insects? It sounds as is if the rooms at the Salt Lick sight do not have a/c, is this the case?
Aug 10, 2001, 3:20 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Posts: 20
Johndor:
If you are considering paying for the flight I know that Sabena is offering a two for one promotion if you use a Master Card to purchase tickets. Sabena participates in AAdvantage program but if I remember correctly they want many miles for the Africa trips. I believe British Air has an AAdvantage award in economy for 75K and 150 in business to Nairobi. Intra Africa flights are very expensive and the Cathay Award someone else mentioned, I believe, is at least as many miles as BA, check to make sure.
Toadman:
July, August and September, is actually the dry season in Kenya. It rained a total of one hour while we were there. The weather was actually on the cool side, it is considered winter in Kenya. Most of Kenya is on an elevated plain some four to five thousand feet above sea level; I do not believe it even reached 80 degrees while we were in the country. Most mornings and evenings we put on light jackets because it was a bit cool.
We did take Larium, (malaria medication) but neither of us ever received a single bug bite. I understand that mosquitoes are a problem in the wet season and precautions should be taken. We brought much insect repellant and I swear we never opened the first tube.
You are correct in the assumption of no air conditioning at Salt Lick. There is a ceiling fan but we honestly never used it. The bigger problem is no heat. We did ask for extra blankets. Salt Lick rooms all have two single beds that can be pushed together, and a single large mosquito net is draped over the beds to keep bugs out in the wetter seasons, but we only used it for the romantic effect.
Also none of the lodges have television if that is of interest to anybody. Plenty of wildlife to watch out the window! The NBO Hilton does have TV however.
If you are considering paying for the flight I know that Sabena is offering a two for one promotion if you use a Master Card to purchase tickets. Sabena participates in AAdvantage program but if I remember correctly they want many miles for the Africa trips. I believe British Air has an AAdvantage award in economy for 75K and 150 in business to Nairobi. Intra Africa flights are very expensive and the Cathay Award someone else mentioned, I believe, is at least as many miles as BA, check to make sure.
Toadman:
July, August and September, is actually the dry season in Kenya. It rained a total of one hour while we were there. The weather was actually on the cool side, it is considered winter in Kenya. Most of Kenya is on an elevated plain some four to five thousand feet above sea level; I do not believe it even reached 80 degrees while we were in the country. Most mornings and evenings we put on light jackets because it was a bit cool.
We did take Larium, (malaria medication) but neither of us ever received a single bug bite. I understand that mosquitoes are a problem in the wet season and precautions should be taken. We brought much insect repellant and I swear we never opened the first tube.
You are correct in the assumption of no air conditioning at Salt Lick. There is a ceiling fan but we honestly never used it. The bigger problem is no heat. We did ask for extra blankets. Salt Lick rooms all have two single beds that can be pushed together, and a single large mosquito net is draped over the beds to keep bugs out in the wetter seasons, but we only used it for the romantic effect.
Also none of the lodges have television if that is of interest to anybody. Plenty of wildlife to watch out the window! The NBO Hilton does have TV however.